1To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I cannot yet learn whether the Enemy are return’d to Philada—a person from thence, tells me the Citizens were extreamly alarm’d at the little Noise of the evening before last & it was thought the Ravagers wou’d return as of yesterday —As to persons passing in & out of Town, I see that may be done in oppo[si]tion to all we can do to prevent it, nor can every degree of Marketing be fully Stoped,...
2To George Washington from Major John Clark, Jr., 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you yesterday at one o Clock P.M. , informing you the Enemy had moved towards Chester, after which, I took a circuit round them, their design appeared only to disperse our light parties, to make room for their Waggons to hall the remainder of the Hay from Tinicum Island, & the Hook, My Spy from the City has just arrived, & informs me General Knyphausen commands in Philada, & has but a...
3To George Washington from William Livingston, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am quite content to have Lieut. Boskirk, Lieut. Earle & Surgeon Hammel treated as Prisoners of war, being fully convinced by your Excellency’s observations on the Subject of the Propriety of the Measure—They therefore wait your order, being now confined in Trenton Gaol—If you think it for the good of the Service to have Browne treated in like manner, I shall have no Objection after his...
4To George Washington from Benjamin Rush, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have delayed troubling your Excellency with the State of our hospitals, in hopes you would hear it from the Director General whose business it is to correspond with your Excellency upon this Subject. I beg leave therefore at last to look up to you, and through you to the congress as the only powers that can redress our greivances, or do us justice. I need not inform your Excellency that we...
5To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote your Excellency yesterday at Noon, the light horse Man whom I sent with it, is not yet returned. As most of our troops are Constantly out on Duty and two of Colonel Proctor’s men deserted to the Enemy the Night before last, and Cannon of no Use here, I thought it most prudent last night to send the four peices of my Division back to the Artillery park. I have this morning seen a...
6To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have Just received your Excellencys letter of this date by Lt Col. Davidson, I have sent the three feild down to Col: Morgan to take Command of the three divisions of the 15 detachments according to An Arangement I made of them this Morning & according to their Several States. In answer to your Excellency’s Querie, I do not see, that any Attempt can be made with a proba[bi]lity of Success...
7To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Agreable to your Excellenceys Directions I have Consulted Some of The General officers which I Thought most Capable of advising upon the proper Steps to take in our present Circumstances —They Say that they can by no means advise for or against an Attack they are fully Convinced that General Howe has his whole Force with him That if your Excellencey thinks your force Sufficient to Cope with...
8To George Washington from Major Benjamin Tallmadge, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Together herewith I send under G[uar]d two Prisoners, viz. Serjt Jos: Foster & James Carter of Colo. Proctor’s Artillery, who, as they say, left Ld Sterling’s Division near the sorrel horse, at 1 oClock the night before last. They were taken up in Germantown, intending to go into the Jerseys. I am desired by Major Edwards (alias Doctr Edwards) to acquaint your Excellency that at the request of...
9To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Inhabitants from being acquainted with me are perpetually lodging their Complaints against the proceedings of the Deputy Commissaries Quarter Masters & Soldiery—they say that all the provision & Provender which they had laid up for their family use and Stock during the Winter, has been taken and Carried off by force—that money will not Replace it, and that they must either Starve or remove...
10To George Washington from the Board of War, 27 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from the Board of War, 27 Dec. 1777. GW wrote the Board of War on 2–3 Jan . 1778 that “Your several Letters of the 23d, 24th & 27th Ulto have been recieved.”
11To George Washington from Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington, 27 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Most or all the within Commands might be releived by the Troops near the North River without any Inconvenience that I can see, at present the Men are without any regular Payments of Money or Clothes, and being out of the Care & Inspection of their own Officers, I fear many of them will run away. I wish, if it is agreeable to your Excellency, that a Field Officer from the Brigade with Your...
12To George Washington from Major Peter Scull, 27 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I trouble your Excellency with extreme reluctance on a Subject so wholly personal as my present application, but indispensable necessity obliges me to do it. It is to inform you that my situation in life is such, that to remain longer in the Army would subject me to great inconvenience and distress, & on that account to request your Excellency’s permission to resign the appointment I now hold...
13To George Washington from Brigadier General William Smallwood, 27 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
A Fleet of 59 Ships, inclusive of a Frigate of 28, & a Sloop of 16 Guns came down the River Yesterday, & Anchor’d of[f] the Mouth of Christiana Creek in the Evening, & from the Number of Boats attending them, & stopping short of the Admirals Ship, when both Wind & Tide favored, I was induced to think the Enemy had in View an Attack on this Post last Night, but the Weather proved too...
14To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 27 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
When I undertook to Compleat the Bridge in So Short a Space I Expected Every article would be provided when I called but am unhappy to find that not one Single Article is provided in Season: I think the Safety and Convenience of the Army Depends upon having it Compleated as Soon as possible: I was well Convinced that Six Days would be amply Sufficient for Doing the whole provided Every thing...
15To George Washington from the Board of War, 28 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from the Board of War, 28 Dec. 1777. On 2–3 Jan. 1778 GW wrote the Board of War : “Your Favors of the 28th & 30 Ulto came to hand this Morning.”
16To George Washington from Major John Clark, Jr., 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Early this morning, a Spy came to me from Philadelphia, which place he left late last Evening, at that time, Sr Wm Howe had just arrived, & the Van of his Army had got over Schuylkill, a great many Troops were marching from this side the ferry towards the City, so that e’er this, I immagine they’ve all returned from Derby, ’twas the common talk in the City, that the Army was returning—I shall...
17To George Washington from Brigadier General William Smallwood, 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The march of the troops down here through the frosty roads, has cut out their shoes, & by being barefoot they are rendered unfit for duty, to remedy which, I have contracted with a gentleman here, for 200 sides of sole, & 200 sides of upper leather, for which he is to receive raw hides in exchange at the same rate on which the commissary of hides exchanges raw hides for dressed leather. I have...
18To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I received your Excellency letter of Yesterday’s date. the inclosed note I received about an hour ago from Colonel Barber the same Intelligence is Confirmed by another Come in to another Quarter, I have sent out what light [Horse] were here for further Confirmation of it, and have ordered the Troops in Case it be true immediately to Search every house within their late lines for Straglers of...
19To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
If I am rightly Instructed, Genl Woodfords pretentions to rank is founded on his Serving as a Colonel in the State of Virginia against Govr Du[n] more in the Year 1775. I have no Idea of his being Entitled to rank in the Continental line from holding a Commission at that time in the State—especially if he Adverts to the Distinction which that State drew between the Rank of Militia, Minute men...
20To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I lately wrote yr Excely of four prisoners confined in this Guard for Carrying Provisions on different roads toward the Philada Market, and that I wou’d Send them to you for tryal —Upon Examining the prisoners & farther reflexion, I thought it unnecessary to trouble you with them, especially as in my Opinion none of them stood in the Shoes of a proper Victim—I have therefore I believe...
21To George Washington from Major General Thomas Conway, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Coll fitzgerald mentionn’d to me yesterday that your excellency Wish’d to Know the method I intended to proceed upon in the new office to Which I was appointed. the first stepp, is to take your orders concerning the instruction of the troops the returns of Which Models, are to be sent to the Different Regiments concerning the Cloathing, arms, rations, Regimental pay Books, &c. &c. are not yet...
22To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Col. Gibson of the Virgina State regiment sais there are a great number of his men left behind in Virgina and on the road—he wishes to send Lt Col. Brent and two Captains to collect the Straglers deserters and recruits that may be recruited for the Regiment. There will remain a sufficient number of Officers to command the men belonging to the Regiment after these Officers are gone. Col. Gibson...
23To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Memorandum of sundry matters necesary to be done in the ordnance departments. 1. All the Artificers at Carlile and Springfield to be enlisted during the War or pleasure of Congress—The whole to be on the same establishment, as to pay, rations, &c.—and to form ten Companies—From these the Artillery of the Armies to be supplied with artificers for the field. 2. The laboratory Companies at...
24To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Palfrey, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of your Excellency’s pleasure signified by Colo. Tilghman I have Order’d Mr Reed to proceed immediately to Head Quarters with the Military Chest —My own ill State of Health is such that I am not able to follow it immediately—A violent Cold which has settled on my Lungs has Confin’d me for ten days past—I am something better, but the Disorder seems very obstinate—As soon as I can...
25To George Washington from Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Col. Webb’s falling into the Enemy’s Hands the 10th Inst. you have doubtless before this been made acquainted with. The Descent on Long Island was designd to destroy the Timber & Boards prepard at the East End of the Island for Barracks in New York, to destroy the Fleet there from Rhode Island for Wood. Attack a Regt Stationd about Eight Miles Eastward of Jamaica & remove or destroy whatever...
26To George Washington from Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I have nothing more in view, in giving the following Sistem, then the fullfilling my duty to introduce & maintain good order & render Capable of service the Corps I command, I hope my frequent representations will not frustrate those whose Zeal for the good of these States is known. My Own Knowledge dictates the following Articles, which tho’ they may not be perfect yet I am assured they...
27To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have received yours of Yesterday evening about an hour ago. have Orderd in all the parties that are out both of my division and of the fifteen detached parties; I expect they will be ready to march for Camp by Noon. There is now a fine oppertunity for the Q.M.G. & Commissary Genl of provisions to employ their Waggons, at one place within Six miles of this place there is above 100 Tun of Bar...
28To George Washington from Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I inclose your Excellency two Certificates from Doctor Rush. The Absurdity of the one, recommending more than three Hundred Miles March, for a lame Fifer; The dangerous Contents of the other, tending to discourage the Troops, & cause Tryumph in the Enemy, should a similar one fall into their Hands, induced me to trouble your Excellency in this Way. I have this Gentleman’s Recommendations...
29To George Washington from Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Before this, I suppose your Excellency must have heard of a late decent on Long-Island and the objects General Putnam had in view by ordering on the Troops The detachment under my command left Norwalk in four Transports the Evening after the 9th Instant, the weather proved very blustering by which means we parted Compy—on the morning of the 10th at dawn of day we found ourselves within two...
30To George Washington from Brigadier General George Weedon, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
On considering what appears most proper in this Army, for a permanent system in future promotions, regulations, and arrangements, I would beg leave to suggest the following hints. First, All continental commissions, below the rank of Brigadier, to issue by the Commander in Chief upon the following general rule; except where extraordinary merit takes place; to which retrospect should ever be...